Pgh Dance Council to feature Brazilian Street Dancers

Pittsburgh dance lovers will be in for an early Valentine’s sweet treat next February when Compagnie Kafig, the Brazilian hip-hop dance ensemble comes to the Steel City as part of the Pittsburgh Dance Ensemble’s 2013-2014 Dance Council Season.

“Pittsburgh audiences haven’t seen anything like that before. They are Brazilian trained dancers from the streets of Brazil,” said Pittsburgh Dance Council Executive Director Paul Organisak “Their execution is original and their choreography is original. They learned to dance in Brazil and now they are touring the world.

“I went to Brazil and saw them and they were powerful and strong and I said ‘when are they coming to Pittsburgh!’ They are vibrant, exquisite dancers and their sound track is a unique mix of salsa, samba and bossa nova music,” Organisak said.

On Feb. 1, Compagnie Kafig will present “Correria” and “Agwa,” two heart-stopping works that showcase a sensational combination of athletic samba, hip-hop and capoeira dance styles. The all-male company showcases humor, fun and vitality on stage.

“I feel like I have an obligation to give people what they are looking for, which is something new and exciting,” Organisak said. “I try to balance out the season with styles that will be of interest to everyone.”

The rest of the Dance Council season, which features two U.S. premiers, is peppered with dance companies that meet everyone’s tastes.